Painting—Arts 161/262/263—Fall 2016
Wednesdays; 6:10 p.m. 9:50 p.m.; Studio 104, Building C
Professor Julia Healy
Jhealy@qcc.cuny.edu
Course Descriptions: Arts
161: Basic elements of oil or acrylic painting,
designed for acquisition of skill and technique in the medium. Experiences in
realism, abstraction and non-objectivity.
Introduction: This course will explore painting at the beginning
level. Students will receive basic instruction on learning "to
see" and develop skills in using form, tone, color and composition.
Subjects will include still life works and the landscape. Occasional
presentations on historic and contemporary artists will supplement the topics
covered. We will have ongoing individual critiques, as well as group critiques
and written self-reflections and writing assignments over the course of the
semester.
Course Objectives
At the end of the course, students will:
· Employ
techniques of mixing and blending color
· Create
the effects of three-dimensional forms with shadow and light
· Observe
and arrange still life objects into a strong
composition of forms and
shapes
· Analyze
personal work through critique and feedback from classmates and
instructor
· Examine
works by other artists that relate to their process
· Identify
elements and principles of design in the world around them and translate
these into paintings
· Create
five paintings
· Develop
our thinking and writing skills through personal reflections and
aesthetic
inquiry
Attendance and Lateness: Attendance is mandatory and essential to your
performance. There is no substitute for working and participating in
class. Three absences are grounds for a failing grade.
Please be on time. Class
begins promptly at 6:10 p.m. Two tardies can be
counted as one absence. If you will have an ongoing scheduling
conflict, please discuss it with me at the beginning of the semester. Note that parking is always an issue, so
allow time to find a space or take public transportation.
Make-Up Policy: As a student in this course, it is your responsibility to make
certain you obtain information covered, should you miss a session. This syllabus
and our blog have the information you need to know what we are working on and
what it due. Previously-absent students must come to the following class with
all of the appropriate work finished for that class.
Grading: Individual grades will be given for each of the four first paintings
and averaged to make up 40% of your grade. Class participation/attendance
will count as 10% and your written assignments/reflections will count for
another 20%. Your final project will count for 20% of your grade. Bringing in a
self-portrait photo for the last project will count for 10%. Two unexcused
absences will lower your grade by one letter grade. (From a B to a C,
for, instance.)
Sample Rubrics for Fruit
Still Life painting:
To receive a D, make a painting as assigned from
observation
To receive a C, make a painting as assigned from
observation and show that you can make it three-dimensional using light and
dark colors
To receive a B, make a painting as assigned,
from observation, show that you can create a three-dimensional effect using
light and dark and show that you understand how to mix and blend colors for
shading and use composition to good effect
To receive an A, make a painting as assigned
from observation, show that you can create a three-dimensional effect using
light and dark, show that you understand how to mix and blend color and show
that you can create texture and surface qualities, understand and employ
thoughtful composition, background, middle ground and foreground, while, at the
same time, you are also developing your own style
Supplies: See below. Materials and supplies for this class
are not inexpensive but if you take care of them, they will last a long time.
We will discuss how to approach buying the materials the first
class. You must come prepared to work every week, with all the
materials you need. Do not expect other students to lend you paint, brushes and
canvases!!!
Writing Help: You may want to refer to a very helpful website operated by Purdue
University: http://owl.english.edu
The format to use is the MLA one and they have
many resources available to help you make your writing better.
Sessions:
Aug.
31 Introduction and Syllabus;
Group Abstraction Project
Sept. 7 Introduction to the Still Life and Nuts on
Bolts on Clean-up. Tonal Still Life
(Painting #1). Bring canvas or canvas board (12 x 16" or
so), rags, black, white and burnt umber paint, turpenoid, brushes of different sizes as below on supply sheet), at least one jar
for turp, your palette, brush cleaner and lots of rags!
Sept. 14 Finish Tonal Still Life (Painting
#1) Have another support available to work on a free-choice, if you
finish early. Reflection/Writing sheet #1 due next week.
Sept.21 Painting
#1 Critique at 6:10 p.m. Introduction to Color. Begin Fruit Still Life (Painting #2). Bring small canvas or
canvas board no bigger than 11 x 14", palette, brushes, rags, turpenoid,
brush cleaner and all your colors.
Sept. 28 Fruit Still Life (Painting #2),
continued and completed. Be prepared to work. Reflection/Writing
sheet #2 due next week.
Oct. 5 Critique on Fruit Still Life (Painting
#2) at 6:10 p.m. followed
by
Introduction to Abstraction and Texture. Begin Fabric with Non-Objective Background
(Painting #3). Bring canvas or canvas board no bigger than
11” x 14", palette, brushes, rags, turpenoid, brush cleaner and all your
colors.
NO CLASSES ON OCTOBER 12!!!!
Oct. 19 Continue
and finish Fabric with Non-Objective
Background (Painting #3). Reflection/Writing sheet #3 due next
week.
Oct. 26 Introduction
to Painting Surfaces and Creating Excellent Composition in your work. Compositional Still Life (Painting #4)
begun. Bring in canvas or
canvas board 14”x 18” or 16” x 20” and all supplies.
Nov. 2 Continue work on your Compositional Still Life (Painting #4).
Nov. 9 Continue
and finish working on Compositional
Still Life (Painting #4). Reflection sheet #4 due next week.
Also, bring in a canvas or canvas board at least 16” x 20” and a landscape image
you have taken, printed out on 8 1/2 by 11” paper. This is required and
will be 10% of your grade. This
could take you down a grade!!!! Use of cell phone to paint from is not acceptable.
Nov. 16 Introduction to Landscape Painting
Presentation. Begin Personal
Landscape (Painting #5).
Nov. 23 Continue working on Personal Landscape (Painting #5).
Nov. 30 Personal
Landscape (Painting #5)., Continued. Reflection Sheets handed out
and due next week.
Dec. 7 Final Critiques on last three paintings.
Arts 262
The sessions are as above.
At this point you should have the basics of oil
painting down. I expect you know and understand:
The color wheel
Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, Complimentary
Colors
How to dull colors without using black
The idea of edge (as opposed to line) in
painting
How to blend
How to make different marks with the same brush
and different brushes
Composition
Foreground/Middle Ground/ Background
The importance of light and dark to create
illusion
How to use texture to great advantage
The importance of subject matter
If you are deficient in any of the above areas, you may want to do
some of the assignments for 161 to catch up.
If you feel comfortable with your painting
abilities and are familiar with the above, we will plan your curriculum
together. Bring in a few samples of your
work, as well as any images on a thumb drive that you might have. (Phones are
too small to really see your work best.)
We will choose a theme or themes and work out
what processes and ideas you would like to explore. Some of the possibilities
are: glazing, scumbling, acrylic underpainting/oil over painting and mixed
media. Your materials, including your supports, will depend on your choices.
I expect you will have at least five works completed by the end of the
semester, and I will ask you to reflect on them in writing as part of your
grade.
Grading; The first four paintings will count as
12.5% of your grade each to make 50%. The fifth painting will count as 20%. Your
attendance and class participation will count as 10%. Bringing in your printed
photo is 10%. Written assignments will count as 10%. Two unexcused absences
will lower your grade by one letter grade. (From a B to a C, for,
instance.)
Arts 263
The sessions are as above.
You should know and be able to show
understanding all of the above concepts listed in the 262 syllabus, as well as:
Understand some of the possibilities of glazing,
scumbling, smafuto and chiarscuro.
Be able to identify transparent colors
Be able to identify opaque colors
Have a rudimentary understanding of the
interaction of color
Have a body of work that exhibits a personal style
Have a direction you want to explore this semester
If you need to catch up in any way with some of the above concepts
(in 262 and 161 as well), you may work on some of their assignments if you
would benefit from them.
I expect you will have at least five works completed by the end of the
semester, and I will ask you to reflect on them in writing as part of your
grade.
Grading; Each painting will count as 15% of your
grade to make 75%. Your attendance and class participation will count as 10%.
Written assignments will count as 15%. Two unexcused absences will lower
your grade by one letter grade. (From a B to a C, for, instance.)
"ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:
As stated in the current college catalog, any student who
needs specific accommodations based on the impact of a disability should
register with the office of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) to be
eligible for accommodations, which are determined on an individual basis. The
SSD office is located in the Science Building, room S-132 (718-631-6257). Students
should also contact their instructor privately to discuss their specific
needs."
Supplies
Apron or old shirt to use as smock. You will
ruin your clothes otherwise!
Container for paints such as a large shoebox,
tackle box or canvas tote.
A glass jar or two with a lid for turpenoid.
Label with your name.
Soft pencil 4B and eraser (optional)
Scissors (optional)
RAGS: LOTS OF THEM! OLD COTTON BEDSHEETS RIPPED UP, OLD WHITE
T-SHIRTS, ETC. NOTHING WITH A NAP, LIKE A TOWEL.
Turpenoid in the BLUE AND WHITE container (not the green one)
Master’s Brush Cleaner
Brushes: DON’T
BUY CHEAP SETS…THEY ARE USUALLY A RIP-OFF. Get soft, sable or
sableline, Wonder Whites (from Blick), not the stiff hogs-hair kind. Those are
harder to control and clean. If you take care of your brushes, they will last a
long time.
Minimum Brushes Needed:
BRIGHT SOFT (not bristly) BRUSHES: Choose at
least 6 brushes (smalls (0, 1, 2, 4), mediums (6, 8, 10, 12), bigger ones (14,
16, 20, 24)
At least 1 ROUND brush smallish (0, 1, 2)
Optional Brushes: filberts, flats, a fan brush
Palette knife
Palette—Palette paper tear-off pads are fine
(12” x 16”gives you enough mixing room)
Paint
Oil is preferable for beginners. If you have to
use acrylic, see me. I use Gamblin Paints, but Windsor and Newton, Utrecht, and
Grumbacher are also good. The best student grade oil paint is WINTON.
Basic Beginning Colors
37 ml tubes of:
Cadmium Red Medium
Cadmium Yellow Medium
Alizarin Crimson
Ultramarine Blue
Permanent Green Light
Viridian Green
Burnt Umber
Raw Sienna or Yellow Ochre
Burnt Sienna
Ivory Black
Large 150ml tube of Titanium White
Optional Colors:
Cadmium Orange
Cerulean
Terra Verte Green or Hooker’s Green
Dioxazine Violet
Magenta
Raw Umber
Supports—stretched canvases or canvas boards or
a combination thereof:
2-11” x 14”
1-12” x 16”
2- 16” x 20”
Optional Fold-Up Table Easel (Black kind is
best)
Checklist for Success—
Prof. Healy-Painting 161
Attendance: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,
12, 13, 14
Late: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13,
14
Brought Supplies (Including RAGS!!!) and was Ready to Work:
___ Week 2
___ Week 3
___ Week 4 & also Participation in Critique
___ Week 5
___ Week 6 & also Participation in Critique
___ Week 7
___ Week 8
___ Week 9
___ Week 10
___ Personal Landscape Print-Out Brought In
(10%)
___ Week 11
___ Week 12
___ Week 13
___ Week 14 & also Participation in Final
Critique
___ Tonal Painting #1
___ Reflection #1
___ Fruit Still Life Painting #2
___ Reflection #2
___ Fabric with Non-Objective Background Painting
#3
___ Reflection #3
___ Compositional Still Life Painting #4
___ Reflection #4
___ Personal Landscape Painting #5
___ Reflection #5
